Wow. JJM, you worked on this book since 2006 in one form or another before it made publication? No wonder it's so good. Polished to a mirror sheen, cover to cover. I'll most certainly take your advice on saving my files.

I've alluded to the Gryph mini-arc before -- the Goodvalor backstory was going to go there. Note that when Gryph reappears in KOTOR, the Moomos are ferrying him.

My intention was that if the miniseries didn't happen, I would take it up immediately after Knights of Suffering -- but then Vector happened, moving the Covenant wrap-up to next in line. So "what happened to Gryph" instead became a running gag, which was resolved only in "Demon." Just one of those things that happens in monthly comics.

Wow, never knew this book had been in the works for so long. Been a while since I had read your notes, forgotten just how many wonderful details and references were in there, making for a fantastic experience. Kenobi was already a magnificent work, glad to learn so much more background about it.

EDIT: I would so buy a Gryph/Moomo brothers miniseries. Or just a flashback to what they were doing while Zayne was busy with other matters. I had always somewhat hoped the Moomos would show up again, as they were always hilarious, but glad they weren't overused either.

Page 57:
"Not any longer, if I have anything to say about it," she said, smiling. "Most just called me Annie.:

The rescuer paused, and for a moment she thought she saw his eyes fix, as if looking somewhere else. But the gentle smile quickly returned. "No, Annileen is just fine."

Holy cow! That line blew right over my head! Jesus, I've just gotten goosebumps looking back at that now!

This book was fantastic. I think it was the fact that I was wishing Obi-Wan would reveal himself and every time he performed a heroic feat and somebody else would take the gratitude lead to a hatred/appreciation of each individual character. Orrin for example, I disliked the minute I read about his kids, whereas the guy, whose name I've forgotten, who claimed he killed all the Tuskens from behind the bar I grew to dislike. Very few Star Wars books have led to me to connect with characters so well.

On a final note, does Obi-Wan know that Anakin still lives in this novel? I know something happened in a Cantina at the end of the Rise of Vader novel and the beginning to this was similar but I'm unsure of whether it linked in or not?

On a final note, does Obi-Wan know that Anakin still lives in this novel? I know something happened in a Cantina at the end of the Rise of Vader novel and the beginning to this was similar but I'm unsure of whether it linked in or not?

I'm a few chapters into this and I'm really impressed. I like the way we were introduced to Ben, breaking up a bar brawl while handing off baby Luke to the bartender. I like the insider view of the Tusken society that doesn't gloss over their brutality.

I love Annileen. LOVE her.

And yes, the "just call me Annie" line and Ben's reaction...totally caught it.

I don't think anyone's compliments could ever do this book justice; quite simply it has to be read for oneself to realize how amazing it is and even though it's only been three months since I've read it I have a burning desire to open in again. I have a feeling this will go down in my personal Hall of Fame as one of the best novels I've ever read. My only regret is that this isn't going to be a movie by Disney. On the bright side, it's such a niche setting that it would be almost literally impossible for it to mess with Disney-canon. Meaning this remains canon forever! *cough-cough, hack-hack* Forever!

I must say, it makes me feel a little more comfortable and at home here seeing the thread for the SW book I'm reading now is still close to the top. I used to keep up with SW, but over the years kept falling behind more and more. I stalled with NJO (haven't given up on it, just something to come back to when I'm ready).

The setting and subject of Kenobi has been something that I've been interested for a while, I even jotted down some conceptual ideas about it for fanfic. The emphasis is a surprise, but I'm use to some of the Doctor Who novels that featured the main character very sparingly, so that's okay. Plus, after following politics at the center of the galaxy throughout the Darth Plagueis novel, this stripped down setting with minimal continuity and a whole host of original characters, it's quite a striking contrast; with the Forces light-side user acclimating to a situation that is the opposite of what Darth Plagueis is about.

And again, like with Darth Plagueis, my reading speed is at a better pace than for most of the reading I do; so far my delayed return to SW novels has been very rewarding, I'm kicking myself for neglecting it for so long, letting that backlog build.

@Duguay If you enjoy audiobooks, as well, I am vouching for the production of Kenobi - Jonathan Davis is an outstanding reader, and naturally the background sound effects are topnotch. Makes those commutes a bit better.

I must say, it makes me feel a little more comfortable and at home here seeing the thread for the SW book I'm reading now is still close to the top.

It was on something like page 10. You're welcome.

I'm still thoroughly enjoying this. I like that it features just enough of Obi-Wan that we're seeing his adjustment to Tatooine and his pain and guilt over what happened, but it focuses on the original characters so that we see the settler and Tusken societies on Tatooine and how those dynamics work with and against each other.

Obi-Wan writes his meditations down for Qui-Gon and always stops just short of verbally flagellating himself over what happened to Anakin, almost having an "I'll think about that tomorrow" vibe, which is pretty powerful as it's obvious that Obi-Wan can't think through all that happened right then, he knows exactly what it will do to his mental state. He has to settle in and adjust to Tatooine and look after Luke and he just doesn't have time to crawl into an angst-filled hole. So he stops himself. But we still know where his brain is going and why.

I was glad to see the reference to what happened to Shmi, and Obi-Wan having to put on his best poker face to pretend he didn't know who she was.

I just finished this. One of the best Star Wars novels I've ever read.

I love the twist with Orrin. I wasn't really anticipating what a twisted conniving little ******* that he turned out to be. I'm glad the Tuskens got him, although it would have given me much pleasure to see Annileen kick him in the balls.

I ended up sympathizing with the Tuskens in the end, and seeing their cruelty as a result of the harsh environment they lived in as opposed to arbitrary. I like the description of the broad change that Anakin's slaughter had brought to Tusken society, how spooked they still were after three years. And Obi-Wan's reaction when he was told about the slaughter and how we could see him putting the pieces together and figuring out what Anakin did. It must have taken all the control he had not to show how he felt about that.

I ended up really liking A'Yark. I'm glad she turned out to be a woman; in a society that we thought had a sexist hierarchy, a woman turns out to be a leader and a fierce warrior.

Even having seen the OT, I was scared when Obi-Wan used his lightsaber in front of Orrin and Orrin threatened to turn him in to the Empire.

Oh, Annileen...Alderaan? I would like to say that she certainly deserved the chance to go to such a peaceful, beautiful place...but I'm hoping she gets out of there before ANH, and I'm imagining that she doesn't.

And the leaving Ben behind, without being allowed to know why, was sad.

The ending with her and her children looking out over Tatooine from the ship reminded me of the end of ESB though.

Oh, Annileen...Alderaan? I would like to say that she certainly deserved the chance to go to such a peaceful, beautiful place...but I'm hoping she gets out of there before ANH, and I'm imagining that she doesn't.

I'm sure she was on some kind of exobiology expedition on Naboo or Dantooine or somewhere with her kids when the place blew. I'm sure she's fine; in my head-canon she is, anyways.

And Obi-Wan's reaction when he was told about the slaughter and how we could see him putting the pieces together and figuring out what Anakin did. It must have taken all the control he had not to show how he felt about that.

In The Life & Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi - he finds the site of the slaughter about two years into his time on Tatooine:

Spoiler(Move your mouse to the spoiler area to reveal the content)Show SpoilerHide Spoiler

Ben Kenobi had been on Tatooine for nearly two years when he learned about an unusual increase of atrocities committed by Tusken Raiders. According to fragmented reports, the Tuskens had attacked three moisture farms and left seven colonists dead in a single day. But what disturbed Kenobi even more than the killings was the unnerving disturbance in the Force that came with them. It was as if a dark presence had touched upon the desert world, creating an almost tangible trace of evil in the air.Could it be the Sith? Ben didn’t know. All he could do was keep a closer eye on Luke.Leaving his home in the Jundland Wastes, he found a bantha that had strayed from its herd. Because taming such beasts was a simple task for a Jedi Master, Ben was soon riding the bantha, heading southwest. He had intended to travel directly to the Lars homestead, but was just a few kilometers into his journey when he neared the ruins of the Tusken camp—the same one he had discovered after his arrival on Tatooine, from the back of his old eopie—and he came to a stop.The camp ruins always emanated a dreadful feeling whenever Ben traveled near it, and he had never felt compelled to inspect it more closely. On this particular day, the feeling was worse, practically sickening, and yet Ben sensed that the place was somehow beckoning him. He tried to urge the bantha forward, but the bantha took only two cautious steps before it came to a halt, then snorted and refused to budge.Because the Tuskens had used bantha ribs as supports for their huts, Ben could hardly blame his mount for wanting to keep her distance from the ruins. He dismounted, leaving the bantha as he walked closer to the ruins.Amidst the remnants of one hut, he noticed a bantha rib arch with dark spatters on it, the kind of spatters only blood could make. Then he saw two rawhide strips that dangled from the arched ribs. Noting the height and position of the rawhide strips, Ben knew immediately that they had been used to secure a captive human’s outstretched arms.And then it hit him.This is where Anakin’s mother died.Ben didn’t just sense it, he knew it for a fact. For a moment, he resisted the urge to tear his eyes from the rawhide strips because he feared that if he looked away, the ruins might disappear along with the knowledge that came with them. When he did finally pry his gaze from the bloodstained arch, he saw the numerous bones that poked up through the sand around and throughout the ruins, bones that were much too small to have come from banthas. Shmi Skywalker had not died alone.Ben did not have to guess who had slaughtered the Tuskens.“Now you know,” said Qui-Gon Jinn’s disembodied voice.Ben was still so stunned that he didn’t even slightly flinch when he heard Qui-Gon, whose voice sounded as if it came from above and behind Ben’s head. Ben said “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”“You weren’t ready,” Qui-Gon said. “You’re still not ready.”“Not ready?” Ben echoed. He swallowed hard before he continued. “Master, if you mean that I’m not ready to understand what happened here, then I believe you’re mistaken. Anakin killed an entire tribe of Tuskens out of vengeance, then kept it a secret from everyone. Apparently you were aware of this, and yet you still maintain he is the Chosen One. What more is there to know?”Qui-Gon answered, “That Anakin did not keep it a secret from everyone.”Ben sighed. “Of course. He would have told Padmé. And Palpatine. And I suspect that if he didn’t actually tell Owen Lars, then Owen figured it out for himself. If Owen has the impression that Jedi are prone to murder in the name of revenge, then that would certainly explain why he’s so cautious of me." Ben returned his gaze to the leather strips.“And why did Anakin keep his secret from you?”Ben was about to reply, Because he was afraid he’d be banished from the Jedi, but instead he shook his head and said, “It doesn’t matter whom Anakin told. What matters is that he was a Jedi, and that he became a butcher.”“You should not judge when you fail to understand.”Exasperated, Ben demanded, “Understand what, Master?”“As I said, you’re still not ready.”Ben sighed. “Well, when I am ready, I hope you’ll let me know." He turned and began walking back to the waiting bantha.“For now, Obi-Wan, know this,” Qui-Gon said gravely, his voice sounding as if it were travelling alongside Ben. “Anakin revealed his secret to one other.”“Master, please,” Ben said without breaking his stride. “If this is another guessing game, I don’t think I—““A’Sharad Hett.”Ben stopped in his tracks. Since his arrival on Tatooine, he had thought of the Tusken Jedi on various occasions. He had assumed Hett was among the many casualties of the Jedi purge. He said, “I don’t believe you ever met A’Sharad Hett, Master.”“No,” Qui-Gon replied, “I never did. But I did know his father. The Force runs strong in the Hett family.”Glancing back at the ruins, Ben said, “The Tuskens that Anakin killed … were they Hett’s tribe? Are you telling me that A’Sharad Hett is alive, that he’s involved with the recent killings on Tatooine?”“I cannot say,” Qui-Gon answered vaguely.Just then, a hot wind gusted across the ruins and swept over Ben. He was about to ask whether Qui-Gon was unable or unwilling to reveal certain details, but then his Master said, “May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan.”A moment after Qui-Gon’s words trailed away on the wind, Ben turned away once again from the ruins. He climbed onto the bantha’s back and rode off.

although, since that book predates the Kenobi novel somewhat, I could see him at least suspecting, somewhat earlier.